Honor death, cherish Life
by Ryuosen
Summary: A civil war divided the nations, all Iruka and Kakashi could now do, was to fight for what they believed in. That their next encounter would change them so profoundly, neither could have expected.


Honor death, cherish Life

**Aut****hor:** ryuosen  
Written for: kakairu_fest  
**Words:** ~ 12237  
**Rating:** M for violence, blood and gore  
**Genre:** Romance, Adventure, Angst, Yaoi, Het  
**Pairings:** Kakairu or Irukaka, however you want it  
**Warnings:** spoilers up to the chuunin exams and Tsunade's arrival  
**Disclaimer:** The fact that a disclaimer is involved should clue you in!

**Prompt ****#****24 from the fest  
**_Genre:_ angst, AU, romance  
Three things that can be included: Strong!Iruka, scars, Hinata, Neji and Hinabi as Iruka's sentries and the only Hyuuga on his side of the battle  
_Scenario:_ in the aftermath of the chuunin exams Konoha has become divided. There is a civil war and Kakashi and Iruka are on opposite sides. Somehow during a battle they end up fighting, Iruka holds his own against the copy nin and kakashi feels like he must find out more about the man. odd wartime romance ensues  
_Squicks_: overly effeminate men  
_Maximum Rating_: NC17 **  
**

**Summary:  
A civil war divided the nations, all Iruka and Kakashi can now do, is fight for what they believe in. That their next encounter would change them ****_so_**** profoundly, neither could have expected.**

"talking"  
_thoughts, letters._.

* * *

He didn't know whether it was just him or his surroundings, but the shivers refused to leave. Like snails they crawled up his spine. Moving from shadow to shadow he wondered where the feelings came from. Slowing his breathing down to nearly nonexistent, he waited.

Then he knew it! Someone was following him. The wind, the very essence in the air whispered to him and not a moment too soon. A second less and the blade would have taken his head off. Instead he had used his very last chance and twisted his body away.

Jumping backwards, he took in just who had ambushed him and it nearly send him crying. A mask starred back at him, utterly blank save for the red paint that depicted the scare features of an animal and dried blood splatters. An ANBU crouched on the ground, muscles twitching in anticipation for his kill.

They had, at last, caught up with him and had send one of the few persons capable of really hurting him, whether he would be injured or not. He had to hand it to Danzo. The bastard certainly knew what he was doing, but that came as no surprise. Had he been in any shape or form incapable or foolish the situation as it was now, would never have come to pass.

He studied his surroundings briefly, eyes resting on the ruins that had once been the prospering marketplace of Konoha; now only debris and destroyed stones remained. Nothing was left of the once blooming village he loved so much. Nothing remained of Sandaime's influence save a few shinobi, who now had to hide like vermin. Like the rats that Danzo saw them as and he was one of them. Shifting his body, he slid into the first stance of the Konoha standard taijutsu.

Realistically speaking it was foolish to even try to fight the shinobi hiding behind the mask, but he was no fool nor was he naive. It was his only chance and even if it wasn't, he had to honor Sandaime's memory and sacrifice.. had to fight for the values that had once made the village great.

No, anything but a fight would be foolish. He wouldn't dishonor his comrades' deeds. Besides there was still the information he had managed to acquire. Information that could sway the alliance of Suna, could convince them to send aid. The scroll was like a dead weight inside his clothes. He would deliver it, come what may. Nothing and no one would stop him, not even the legendary copy nin himself.

"It's been a while, sensei. I hadn't thought you to be alive, actually."

The voice echoed throughout the area, but he ignored it. Instead choosing to carefully assess the man before him and what he knew from his file. While most data the village compiled wasn't the most accurate source of information, it was still better than nothing. It told him that entering a close range match with the ninja was nothing short of suicidal, but ninjutsu was just as bad.

He had no way of knowing, what Hatake Kakashi had done this night. Therefore he couldn't begin to guess the chakra stores, yet they were the only notable weakness he knew about. The jounin was a master of nearly every area in the shinobi arts, but his chakra capacity was only around average, like his own. He had only one chance and that meant forcing the man to use his sharingan and then wear him down while keeping his own stores up. For that, well for that he needed to con the older man into believing that he was in control of the whole thing.

Not the best of plans, but what other choice did he have?

None...

"Sorry to disappoint you Hatake-san. But as you can see, I am well."

His fingers slid inside his left pouch and took hold of a kunai. With luck the man would be cocky and underestimate him. Men like Hatake Kakashi couldn't be beaten by skill alone, but only combined with superior intellect and planning. His eyes traced the ruins, searching for a good way to initiate the fight. Inside his head he had already the layout of the complete area pictured. The ideal spot for the fight was only a short distance from their current location.

Time to put his plan in motion.

He really had to be insane to start a fight with Hatake Kakashi. But no choice, important information, a deep rooted instinct for survival and fellow shinobi, who were like family to him; all those reasons only reaffirmed his decision. The kunai felt comfortable between his fingers as it was pulled from the insides of his pouch.

"You sure you want to do that sensei?"

_No! Not at all, you god damned bastard, but what choice do I have? _

How had it come to this? Oh yes, Danzo and the cowardice of more than two thirds of the shinobi population... and their ineptitude to realize what Konoha actually was. And now they had this... a destroyed village with half the civilians dead and the other half either having fled or gone into hiding. Then there was a Hokage, who was more of a dictator than anything else and cowardly shinobi; men and women, who had renounced everything their village had stood for.

He smiled, there had never been any choice.

The kunai sailed through the air to be promptly batted aside with a white arm guard. But he had counted on that. The grenade landed at Hatake's feet and exploded in a flash of chakra. Lazy or not, Shikamaru was a real genius. The flash had, in their test-runs, blinded both Neji and Hanabi successfully, only Hinata had managed to fend of the temporary blindness. Had Hatake his Sharingan free, then it would be out of commission long enough to make sure everything was going according to his plan.

With quick movements he was jumping over the ruins and onto the trees, feeling the shudder, which signaled that the ANBU was pursuing him. He allowed himself a satisfied expression, all according to his plan. Although Hatake was faster than he was, in no time they were nearly on the same length. He had never believed just how fast the jounin could be. It would teach him not to underestimate the jounin either. Whisperings warned him once more and he twisted away. The branch served as a catapult as he pushed through the line of the thick canopy of the trees that surrounded the outer ruins of the village, evading the blade that cut the branch in pieces. Pushing chakra into the tattoo on his arm, he freed his own tantô, before diving into the trees again.

Hatake was nowhere to be seen, but he had learned a long time ago to sharpen his hearing. Their blades clashed as he twisted around. He kept his face blank but inwardly frowned. Either he had packed much more muscle than he had known or Kakashi wasn't as strong in the physical sense as he was led to believe. Holding their ground, neither refused to give an inch nor break their hold. But he knew he had to. His plan depended on it.

Without taking his eyes away from his opponent he readied himself. Shifting his weight he leaned sideways and his feet struck the trunk, causing the wood to splinter and keel over, heading straight for them. With the chance of getting crushed both disentangled their weapons and separated. Wasting no time he jumped from tree to tree at a moderate pace. Having twisted his body from underneath the trunk he had the advantage that it wasn't a barrier anymore, while the jounin still needed to overcome it. He would follow, just like he wanted.

Small gestures littered the trees with simple but lethal traps. They probably wouldn't kill the ANBU but slow him down just a bit. Hopefully enough for his plans to work, otherwise he would have to improvise. He was good at improvising. Still, he preferred the first option, it certainly would make the execution easier. Explosions rocked the trees but nothing indicated that it had actually hit Hatake, he would have to keep his guard up.

Then he heard it, multiple feet hitting the ground and nearly swore, the period between the noises were too short for it to be human feet. Great, Hatake had summoned his ninken. As if he wasn't enough occupied with evading the jounin. Speaking of Hatake there he was: Five feet behind and three to his left from his position. Continuing his path he acted as if he hadn't noticed that he was being shadowed. Stupid, as if he would fall for that old trick. True, most ninja probably wouldn't have noticed him and before the war he might have been one of them, most likely anyway, but now? Now his hearing was pushed to extreme for human standards and beyond with the use of chakra.

_Hatake probably wants to chase me to the grounds where Pakkun and the rest of the pack are supposed to clamp their teeth in my hide. Not a chance!_

Memories of Naruto's tales flitted before his eyes, from Hatake's dogs, who would dive under the earth and attack, when one least expect it. No it couldn't happen, not when he was yards away from his secure escape. Another shift in the air and Hatake moved in for the kill. His own hand came forward and their blades clashed, before they separated again. Having never been more grateful for his sensei's teaching, his fist hit the trunk of another tree with the same result as before. Splintering, the broken wood fell forward, creating another barrier between them just as the sound of upturning earth reached him.

The howl of Hatake's ninken had never been frightening, but now it signaled the arrival of backup he couldn't hope to match. Palming another grenade he launched it at the ground. He didn't wait to see if he hit one of the dogs and promptly replaced himself to evade another swipe of the jounin, who was still hunting him. Reappearing a good distance away from the dogs, still enclosed by the dust cloud saturated with chakra and the smell of foul eggs, he wasted no time and continued his sprint. Faint noises akin to coughing still reached his ears but he couldn't tell which came from the dogs and which from Hatake.

Finally he reached the lake, he'd won. Now Hatake couldn't touch him anymore.

Yet he couldn't allow the jounin to know that. Stepping onto the water he already began gathering chakra to initiate the jutsu that would bring him to safety. Unfortunately it seemed to be fated that their would be interference. Breaking concentration he turned and caught the kunai between two fingers, aimed and threw them back. The ANBU took a step to the left and the projectiles flew harmlessly past him. No surprise there, but he hadn't expected otherwise.

Surprise and suspicion filled him as the jounin sheathed the blade. But he wouldn't look a gifted horse in the mouth. Having no idea of how good Hatake would be with his blade, he settled that it was better that he had put it away. In the background his pack was sitting at the shore, either having received orders to wait or awaiting him. More likely the latter. Fat chance of that happening if he had anything to say about it.

Then naturally action followed. One second he faced Hatake across the lake, the next the jounin was rushing at him, killer intent all over place. He wasn't impressed. Not for the lack of trying but he had grown up feeling the killing intent of monsters and try as he might, Hatake Kakashi was many things, but not a monster. No he was very much human, more so than most shinobi even.

Suppressing a near hysterical chuckle at the thought of Hatake Kakashi's humanity he slid into his preferred taijutsu stance. Seemed like their initial fight had only been postponed, evading the fist aimed at his head, he moved to the left. In response he opted for a jab with his elbow towards the neck.

It went on like that: Block, punch, kick, evading the more dangerous moves and to reciprocate in turn.

For minutes they traded punches and kicks, never hitting anything but a few glancing blows. He preferred to target the masked face with his jabs while his kicks were reserved for the lower body. If the situation wasn't so important he might have thought that they were having a sparring match on the lake. But of course even that fantasy was coming to an abrupt end.

Hatake jumped back, giving him precious seconds to regain his breathing. Only as he noticed the series of seals the man formed, did he swallow. There it was, one of the most infamous jutsu in existence. The sounds of shrill birds assaulted him, but he wasn't worried. No he was confident, this was the moment he had been waiting for, the mistake that would assure him of his victory.

Hatake wasn't as fast as he had been at the beginning of the chase, so evading him was easy. Of course he couldn't see the expression, because of the mask. Yet he could see the surprise in the way the ninja tried to correct his movements. Faster than the jounin could have anticipated, he went offensive. Sliding his fingers beneath the armguard his dark eyes met the blank porcelain mask before a twitch of his fingers shattered the bones in the wrist like they were mere twigs. To him it was nothing. Chakra rushed into his legs, filling him with additional strength.

Closing his fingers around the shattered wrist, he pulled until he was nearly face to face with the bloody mask, only to deliver a sharp kick to the ribs. The protective amour broke. Letting go he ensured that Hatake was propelled towards the other end of the lake. Going through a very familiar series of seals, he stretched his glowing hand out, focused chakra into his eyes and pulled. Considering that Hatake had once been an ally, he probably shouldn't feel so much satisfaction as seeing his blood, or hearing the scream that accompanied the motion necessary to pull Hatake's blood from every artery and vein in his left leg through flesh and bones. The water around the jounin's body was already turning crimson in spidery clouds.

Still it made him feel just a tad smug that the mighty Hatake Kakashi had fallen. A pity really, he had once been quite fond of him. Shrugging his shoulders unconsciously, he sighed. It couldn't be helped. Angry howls shook him out of his revery to see the pack of ninken walking onto the lake.

_Apparently they can walk on water, unlike the Inuzuka dogs._

Tucking the new piece information into a secure area of his mind, he watched as the group tried to pull their apparently unconscious master from the lake. Either the blood loss had been too sudden or Hatake wasn't taking care of himself properly, though he also could have passed out from the pain. With a sigh he pulsed his chakra in the ANBU code for _"lethal danger"_. He knew that he would regret the small mercy later, but he also knew that Naruto would never forgive him for killing his old teacher, no matter how necessary.

His fingers formed another handseal as he noticed three of Hatake's dog vanishing in a puff of smoke. It told him that his fighting strategy had been the right one. The chakra supply was running out and even without conscious did Hatake's body react to preserve his life by shutting the unnecessary expenditures down. Obviously the dogs counted as unnecessary expenditures, the downside? They were saving Hatake's life.

Only Pakkun was left and the little pug stood no chance in even moving the body of his master.

Straining his senses he still felt no other ANBU nearby. The fuck was wrong with Danzo's troops? Under the distrustful glare of Pakkun he made another seal and watched as a mizu bushin rose from the surface. It was no surprise that the pug attempted to destroy it before it reached his master, but with a small slap the dog tumbled back into the rippling waves. Without much fuss the clone dragged the limp body to the shore before bursting into a puddle of water. Satisfied that Hatake wouldn't die from drowning he concentrated and vanished.

The arriving ANBU could only watch as what seemed to be a bushin joined with the lake again.

* * *

A very familiar white ceiling greeted him after he managed to drag his good eye open. Blurred lines told him that he still wasn't completely awake but he was surprised anyway. He had woken up, when he had expected to die in that lake. The last thing he could remember was agony of having his leg ripped apart. After that, only darkness.

Coughing, he tried to move his hand but couldn't even manage to twitch a finger, so he resigned himself to have the tube stuck in his throat awhile longer. At least until either his medic nin or one of the nurses checked up on him. It would give him time to remember, to try how he had survived the whole mess. He would have laughed, if it wouldn't be painful. Who would have thought that he would loose a fight against a chuunin. He certainly didn't. Oh, how foolish he had been, how foolish. With those last thoughts Hatake Kakashi lost his strength and sank blissfully into unconscious again.

The next time he awoke, he saw pink and his jumbled thoughts connected the color to his former student. Silently he mourned the loss of contact between them, but also understood it. Sakura was little more than a prisoner in the Konoha she now lived in. A Konoha he willingly served, while she had been forced to accept a position in the hospital to ensure her parents' safety. She had never asked him why he had agreed to be a jounin for the new Hokage and he had never told her. No need for her to know.

Of course it had meant the end of their easy relationship.

Sakura had become a medic-nin and now worked at the hospital, which had lost more than half their staff during the invasion and the resulting civil war. A well chosen career for her, even if she most certainly would rather kill half the shinobi she treated, him included. Most of the time he tried not think about it, it would only encourage thoughts about his remaining students. One which had become a traitor before the fall of Konoha's government and the other... The other was still missing but most likely dead. Yet the past encounter gave him hope that perhaps more than just the sensei had survived.

Summoning all strength his body currently had to offer, he moved his fingers to barely brush against Sakura's hand, which had rested next to his own as she examined his leg. Calmly she turned her had, face a neutral mask, barely revealing anything. She made no move to free him from the tube that still controlled his breathing.

"Kakashi-san, finally. We were beginning to get worried. It's been twelve days since your hospitalization."

Kakashi stared. Twelve days had to be a new record, even for him. What the hell had happened to him? With effort he tried to form a few shorthand signals to get the tube out and failed miserably. With a sigh Sakura raised her hand with the telltale green glow that indicated a medical jutsu. Not knowing what she was doing he simply smiled at her like he usually did, even after the cooling of their relationship.

Setting her hands down, she took the chart and noted a few more things. His list of injuries seemed disturbingly short this time around. Once more it made him wonder what had happened.

"Brain activity is within acceptable perimeters. Looks like the tube can come out now that the danger of you falling into a coma has passed."

She forewent the explanation of how the tube would be removed, he had been in hospital often enough to know that procedure by heart. With a nod he relaxed as much as he could. Since he didn't feel anything he could safely say, that he still was on painkillers. The drip at his side only confirmed his suspicion. Sakura was nothing if not an efficient medic-nin. In no time he was breathing on his own and had sipped from a glass of water. After he was done she placed a surgical mask over the lower half of his face and received another smile for her thoughtfulness.

With more movements she had him propped up comfortably. Not that he particularly wanted her to, he knew why she was doing that. It seemed that the Hokage couldn't wait for him to heal before he wanted his report. Not even off the painkillers and he would be interrogated, great.

"I'll have to inform the Hokage that you have woken up. He was most anxious to hear your report."

"What happened?"

Sakura gave him a pitying look, Kakashi decided that it looked even worse on her face than the blank expression she wore most of the time. He despised pity in any shape or form. Yet he merely offered her a nod. So what had happened...

Yes, He'd been on guard duty in the former market district. Everything had been like every night until his nose had caught the faint whiffs of a human scent mixed with earthy tones. Special soap to blend in with the town and Danzo had changed the ingredients in the one they currently used. It had been one of the renegades and someone familiar, he had known that scent.

Before Kakashi could continue his train of thought the door to his room opened again. It didn't surprise him to see Danzo walking in, his personal assistant right behind him. He could really do without seeing his leader as the second thing after waking up. Trying to lift his hand in greeting he noticed for the first time that one of his hands was wrapped not only in thick bandages but also plaster. Additionally the complete arm had been strapped to the bed. He settled for a nod and received a sharp glance in return.

Danzo was taking in his appearance which appeared to be anything but impressive. At least if the Hokage's expression was anything to go by. Kakashi simply waited for his orders. The hand, not confined to the bed, found a place on his lap, fingers twisting the thin fabric. His clothes had already been bagged. He would have to ask someone to bring him a replacement, perhaps Gai... right Gai was a missing nin. No the taijutsu master wouldn't bring him clothes anytime soon.

"Tora! I want a full report on what happened twelve days ago. What turned one of my best ANBU into this... pitiful creature?"

Tilting his head he thought a few moments over the description he had been given. Injuries were nothing new to him, so why would Danzo think he looked pathetic. The answer came unsurprisingly in form of a mirror. Looking a bit to the left he could see his reflection. His hair had obviously been washed once as it flopped over the sharingan hidden behind an eye patch. His face was as pale as the sheets that covered his body, which made the fading bruises from the blows, that had landed on the mask, all the more stand out. The chest was tightly bandaged, suggesting broken ribs. The cast, well he remembered, how his wrist had been crushed. And the leg? No idea!

"On the sixth I had been assigned guard duty of the former market district. I was five minutes behind my usual schedule as I noticed someone traveling from shadow to shadow. The person didn't use our soap, therefore I was able to identify him as one of the renegades. I confronted him."

"Who was it?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow which, due to the eye patch, went unnoticed. The eagerness in Danzo's voice, though well hidden, made him wonder how much the renegades bothered the Hokage. Deciding to pay more attention to the man's reactions he continued.

"It was Iruka-sensei, a chuunin. He worked..."

"Umino! Are you certain, Umino Iruka?"

He barely could hide his shock at the unusual open reaction, what was so important about a chuunin teacher or paper pusher. He was missing something. Something vital by the looks of the reaction.

"Umino taught my genin team and briefly before the invasion we had a public confrontation about the nomination of rooky genin. Yes, I wouldn't have mistaken him. The scar was pretty much a giveaway."

"So Umino is alive.. continue!"

Something was definitely up. The eagerness wasn't even disguised anymore and the near fevered glint in the lone eye cause the hairs on the back of his neck to stand. Something was wrong, he just didn't know what. How frustrating!

"He evaded my initial attack, my plan was to knock him around and gain information. We exchanged a few words. I let him know that I thought him to be dead. After that he replied before throwing a kunai at me. I blocked and a grenade of some kind landed at my feet."

"What kind of grenade."

"I don't know, all I know is that my sharingan was blocked by it. Before identifying Umino I had uncovered it in case that it was someone dangerous."

The Rokudaime snorted and Kakashi suppressed a wince. Bad choice of words, he had pretty much told the man that he hadn't considered Umino to be a threat.

"And we can see just how harmless he was."

The sarcasm in the normally bland voice grated on Kakashi's already thin nerves, though outwardly he merely looked sheepish. His hand twitched, normally he would scratch the back of his head now, but with the hand in a cast it was out of question.

"Umino fled towards the lake near the outer rim in the eastern area. I followed and engaged in combat with him. He is carrying a tantô and uses a fighting style I haven't seen before. Before our standoff finished he destroyed the tree we were standing on. I continued to chase him, though I had my suspicions that he was luring me into a trap, but aside from small traps which he laid during his escape there was nothing."

His voice died with a croak and the Hokage impatiently gestured for his assistant to bring him the glass of water Sakura had left near the pitcher. The cool liquid soothed his parched lips.

"After studying Umino's form I determined that it would be easier to defeat him on the ground. Therefore I summoned my ninken to aid me, but before my plan could be carried out he threw another grenade and fled onto the lake where he stopped and began to gather chakra. I sheathed my blade and engaged him in a taijutsu fight, hoping to push him to the shore where my pack was waiting. However his taijutsu was surprisingly good, above chuunin level certainly. My chakra was starting to run low, so I decided to end the battle. As the blindness on the sharingan was gone I executed chidori and tried to impale him with it."

"Given your condition I assume you failed."

Kakashi nodded, shaking his head briefly. He felt his energy running out, but was determined to finish his report. Otherwise the old bastard would come back and it was the last thing he wanted.

"He sidestepped my assault, got hold of my wrist and broke it. The funny thing is that his fingers did little more than twitch, it shouldn't have broken a bone much less my entire wrist. Then he kicked me across the lake before forming seals for an unknown jutsu. His hand was outstretched before he pulled it back. Then there was pain in my leg."

"And after the attack? How did he escape?"

Grimacing, Kakashi reminded himself that shrugging with broken ribs wasn't the best idea. The painkillers had begun to wear of, a dull throb spreading from his left side allover his chest. Grunting he tried to rearrange his limbs to lessen the feeling of discomfort as Sakura stepped up to the bed and exchanged one of the bags from his drip. Minutes later the pulsing eased off and he sighed in relief before continuing.

"No idea, the last thing I remember is the feeling of something tearing my leg apart."

"Haruno, tell Hatake what happened to his leg."

Despite often giving the impression Kakashi was anything but socially inept and good at reading people. He could see Sakura's discomfort at being addressed directly by the man who kept her a prisoner in her own home, or what she had once called home. Her blank face gave nothing away, but he had learned to read her during the months she had been on his team. Sakura only fiddled with equipment, when she was nervous.

"You were admitted in critical condition with dangerously low chakra, blood-loss, a pulverized wrist, three broken ribs and a damaged lung. The bones in your wrist had to be completely regrown, there was nothing left of them but powder and small chunks. Chances of a full recovery are at 85%. Estimated time of recovery four months. The ribs were a clean break and have been healed as far as your low chakra stores allowed at the time, the procedure will be finished as soon as you have recovered completely. Now your leg is what worries us. The jutsu Iru.. Umino used destroyed all blood vessels. Blood residue suggests that he somehow pulled the blood from veins and arteries alike. Full recovery is unlikely, around 40%, depending on how good we can reconstruct them with chakra. It will also be a lengthy process. You'll be moved to the long term ward later today."

Kakashi didn't speak, couldn't. It was completely unbelievable what he'd just heard. Swallowing he tried to laugh it off, make a joke about having more chances with the nurses, who often complained about him but couldn't. The thought of not being able to fight like he used to be.. frightened him more than death ever would. It couldn't happen, he had to recover, he had to. Danzo, seemingly collected at the news, broke through his chaotic thoughts and for once he was grateful. Orders would keep him from panicking, for now at least.

"Describe Umino's fighting style."

"It wasn't a style taught in Konoha, at least not to my knowledge. Defense mostly through the arms and hands, offense relied majorly on his legs. Now and then he made jabs with his elbow or fist at my neck or joints but relied almost completely on using his feet for offensive moves."

"You have no recollection of crawling onto the shore?"

Simply shaking his head, he finally lost his battle with exhaustion and sank into the calming darkness. And for once he didn't care that not finishing his report could have far more dire consequences than before the chuunin exams.

Danzo watched detached as one of his best ninja fell into an exhausted sleep. Without another word he rose and left the room with his assistant in tow. Hatake had given him quite important information that he needed to discuss with Homura and Koharu. It seemed that the Sandaime had kept more secrets than they had anticipated.

How foolish of them to underestimate Sarutobi. He may have been a peace loving fool but he had been one of the cleverest man Danzo had known. After his death they had searched the complete tower and the Sarutobi clan house, hoping to discover the dead man's secrets and where had he hidden them? In plain sight, he had kept Umino Iruka close even before the Kyuubi came and slaughtered the elder Umino couple. He would have to congratulate Umino when they captured him, even he had been blinded by the nice facade the chuunin had projected.

Capoeira, Sandaime's most lethal taijutsu style, and he had taught it to a bastard child. It made Danzo wonder what else Sarutobi might have taught him. Before this revelation they had hoped Umino to be alive for his knowledge of Konoha's administration but now.. now they might also gain access to the techniques thought to be lost with Sandaime's death. Not to mention that as close as Umino had been to Sarutobi they also might have discovered a leading member of the renegades. He needed Umino's file immediately or at least what they had managed to salvage from the destroyed Hokage Tower.

Danzo smiled, a good day indeed. The newly acquired knowledge was almost enough that he was ready to forgive Hatake his tardiness. Without him they might never have discovered the information that the renegades apparently knew the ANBU routes and times. Perhaps another sweep for spies would be advisable.

* * *

Sakura wouldn't admit it to anyone but her heart was pounding as she stood by Kakashi-sensei's bed and treated his destroyed leg. It was hard to believe that Iruka-sensei was responsible for the mess she was attempting to piece back together, but also knew that it had been merciful perhaps even foolish to let Kakashi keep his life. She was under no illusion that if Iruka-sensei really had wanted her old teacher dead, then he would have been dead.

Listening to the soothing voice of Kakashi-sensei she had to admit that she was envious. She longed to be back in the field to fight the enemy and most importantly she longed to declare her loyalties. To see the realization on Danzo's face when he realized that she had been spying on them the whole time.

_Not yet.._

Carefully she re-wrapped the cut she had made herself to have better access to the destroyed blood vessels. Treating them would take a long time but it ensured also Kakashi's survival chances, not all renegades would show mercy like Iruka-sensei. Throwing the gloves away she unlocked the brakes on his bed and proceeded to push him through the corridors to the long term ward.

After she gotten her former sensei settled, Sakura grabbed her chart to get the name of the emergency contact only to sigh in exasperation. Apparently he hadn't updated his contact since before the beginning of the chuunin exams. Contacting Maito Gai might be a bit problematic. Putting the chart down, she resolved to get his address and get his necessities.

Checking once more that Kakashi was sleeping, she left the hospital behind. Her overtime entitled her to leave at least once a week early. Stopping by the administration she fetched her former teacher's address before hurrying towards the district he lived in.

While she had always thought about Kakashi as a pragmatic person, this wasn't what she had in mind. The apartment, if it could even be called that, was a little more than two small rooms with a small washing facility the size of her broom closet. She didn't understand, Kakashi was a jounin. He should have more than enough money to live somewhere more comfortable.

Shrugging, she went over to the dresser and started to pack the clothes she found there into the satchel she had brought. Once she had enough, she closed the drawer and went over to the bed. On the window sill above it stood a very familiar potted plant and suddenly she had to repress her tears.

_Mr. Ukki_

And right next to the plant Naruto had gifted Kakashi years ago, were two pictures. One had to be Kakashi's own genin team and was that the Yondaime? So Kakashi had been taught by the fourth, it certainly explained how he had become so good. The second was more familiar depicting the people she loved most in the world aside from her parents. Her own copy now hidden between the pages of her favorite novel.

She didn't understand, why did Kakashi still have this when he had renounced the government and beliefs she had once shared with him. Witnessing how her former sensei had sworn his loyalty to Danzo had made her ill and the first thing she had done, once the ceremony had been over, was emptying her lunch into the nearest bush. Kakashi had been one of the strongest ninja in the village, together with the other jounin and ANBU they could have overthrown Danzo before his claws had been dug in the whole village.

But they hadn't and now the population which hadn't managed to flee was under the thumb of a dictator. The day Danzo had announced himself as the new Hokage had been the worst day of her life, worse than Sasuke's betrayal, worse than the murder of their newly instated Godaime and even worse than the death of the one team-mate who had promised her to bring Sasuke back.

Now she was alone in a world that hated her and she knew the only reason why she hadn't been incarcerated along with other rebels was her superior chakra control, and that she had helpless civilians as parents, who wouldn't stand a chance against any ninja they encountered. They made for good blackmail material.

Grabbing two of the novels she practically fled from the apartment, she had no need for the memories it invoked. Neither ninja or civilian paid her attention, the sight of someone running through the streets in tears having become a common theme. Sakrua only stopped running as she stood in front the new Yamanaka flower shop. Calming herself she entered the store, offering Ino's mother a smile before buying an assortment of flowers like she did every second day.

Taking them she bid her farewell and left. Looking at Ino's mother inspired pain. Thoughts of her daughter, who had been executed for the whole village to see. The Hokage had shown no mercy as her father had begged on his knees to let him lock away his daughter's mind, to sentence her to prison, anything but death. But Danzo had sentenced her regardless, had shown the disgrace of the Yamanaka clan to the remaining public as he beheaded Ino himself.

And Ino? Her friend had marched up onto podium with bruises on every visible inch of her body and a pronounced limp. Sakura had known what that meant and her respect for Ino had only grown as she stood proud like a queen before her head had been forced onto the wooded block. They had denied her last words, but she doubted that her friend needed any. Her expression had said it all, haughty and full of pity without any trace of regret. Ino had been proud of her spying and all anger she must have felt were probably directed at herself for getting caught.

Then she had adopted a peaceful expression before the Katana of the Hokage had taken her life.

Fiddling with the keys, Sakura cursed as they fall to the ground. Thinking of Ino always inspired pain in her heart. Adjusting the bags she carried she finally opened her door. Dropping the satchel with Kakashi's clothes near the door so all she needed to do was grab it before her leaving for her evening shift.

She forewent the traditional greeting, no one was there to welcome her anyway. Carrying the flowers into the small kitchen that had come with the apartment. Then she saw it, innocently lying on the window sill: _Monkshood!_ Her fingers clenched around the flowers she was holding. It could only mean one thing. The ANBU of ROOT would soon be making another sweep for traitors. There were few persons left who would warn her, who were still alive to warn her and who knew that she was supporting the renegades.

Only the renegades themselves.

With forced breaths she took the lone flower from the sill and proceeded to work it into an arrangement. Choosing the other flowers carefully she made use of every bit of skill she had. Flower language had always been Ino's forte anyway. With determination she ignored the tears that ran down her face.

Placing the finished work with a sweet pea in the window she headed for her bedroom. At least a few hours of precious sleep before her night shift began. Perhaps she wouldn't dream for once. She prayed for it.

* * *

Walking with a cane sucked, big time, though not as much as rehab and physiotherapy especially since he was being manhandled by a rude male nurse with no sense of humor or concept of personal space. Kakashi settled onto the nearest bench. His newly healed leg still tired every twenty steps and forced him to take a break. Slouching he stretched to take any weight off it. Six months and he still could only limp at a moderate pace and while he knew that he should be grateful to even be able to walk at all, it was more than a little frustrating. He couldn't even train to take his mind of everything.

The civil war was still in full swing and to everyone's horror, at least if you had sided with Danzo, the renegades appeared to be winning. Only a month ago a group of six shinobi had broken into the newly built Hokage Tower and liberated a dozen of precious scrolls. Kakashi wished he had been present to see the Rokudaime's reaction, sadly he was however still stuck in the long term ward of Konoha's hospital. The only consolation being that he had escaped another round of extreme borderline torture had followed for all ninja who worked inside the tower.

Not very pleasant according to Genma, who had shared his room for two days as he recovered from the interrogation/torture. Though apparently ANBU had managed to identify two of the intruders. Hyuuga Neji was one and Inuzuka Hana the second, the revelation had surprised all as the Inuzuka clan had fled towards Suna according to their latest information while the Hyuuga had all died in a brave assault against the newly instated Rokudaime. The knowledge that a child of the clan was still alive had rumors spreading left and right. No one knew whom to trust anymore, the fear of anyone being a renegade broke friendships on every corner.

The only good thing that had come from nearly dieing. No one could suspect him of being a renegade. Sheltered as he was in the care ward with Sakura and two other nurses as only contacts to the outside world. Had he been more social he would have mourned the fact that no one had come to visit him since the interrogation by the Hokage. In fact the room in the hospital had started to resemble his apartment more and more with Mr. Ukki having found a place on one of the window sills. His few novels had been placed on a small table in the corner and all his clothing aside from the funeral robes had been put inside the dresser. His scrolls and weapons had been placed in storage.

For nearly 27 years it wasn't much to show.

He was also bored out of his mind that even his precious Icha Icha novels couldn't hold his attention for more than an hour. Jiraiya hadn't written anything new in years, if he was still alive that is. No one had heard from the famed shinobi since his departure after bringing Tsunade back to the village. Then there was the mysterious criminal organization named Akatsuki, who appeared to be capturing the tailed beasts. News had it that the Nibi had been captured alongside the host Nii Yugito. It made Kakashi wonder if they would also try to get their hands on Gaara, the new Kazekage of Suna.

Considering that Gaara's first action as the new Kazekage had been to break the alliance between Konoha and Suna, in order to strengthen his village. While clearly no longer the psychotic child Kakashi had encountered during the fight, he had no idea what had happened to change the demon host. The fight between Gaara and an unknown group of ninja had taken place alongside the outer rim of the village amongst the trees. By the time they had finally managed to beat Orochimaru back, due to Sandaime's sacrifice, Gaara and his siblings had been long gone. But except the scroll breaking their alliance, Suna had made no move to interfere and apparently Danzo was content to let them be, at least for the time being. Though Kakashi held no illusion about their Hokage, the Rokudaime would eventually declare war on their former allies, though before that he needed to gain control of their own rebels.

With a sigh he sat up and proceeded to limp back into the hospital. There was a war going on and he couldn't do more than feed the birds in the hospital park. At least his hand had finally healed and he could practice handseals in the safety of his room. Maybe he would summon his pack to keep him company, at least until Sakura would throw them out again. Dogs having no place in the hospital but the former veterinary clinic, which had been closed due to the Inuzuka's absence.

He had to admit without his pack he would have been committed quite a few months ago. The overwhelming feeling of uselessness had him nearly go against Sakura's orders if only to have something to do. Of course once Sakura had noticed his behavior she had put a quick stop to it. His former student reminded him distinctly of Tsunade. They would have made quite a pair had she ever had the chance to study under the legendary medic-nin.

Using his cane to push the door open he entered his hospital room to find a very pleasant surprise waiting for him. On the table in the corner laid a brown folder. Considering that he hadn't done any missions for the past six months the folder could only contain one thing. Tenzou had finally managed to get his hands on Umino Iruka's file. With unusual eagerness he limped into the room and grabbed the file before sitting on the bed.

A small note had been attached to the folder and Kakashi decided that once he could walk again he would definitely be inviting Tenzou for a drink. Opening the file he skimmed over the personal basics and encountered nothing special, Umino was two years his junior, had graduated at age eleven and became a chuunin at 16. Then he stopped and went once more over the data the ninja academy had provided. Raising an eyebrow he frowned, a very late entrance date. Whose parents enrolled their child at age ten? Glancing over the rest of the page he found no answers, perhaps the more detailed data would offer him more information.

Thumbing through the file he stopped, the in-depth data on Umino Iruka was missing along with several other important documents. No birth certificate, no notable reports, no list of learned jutsu, the psych evaluation was missing as well. At the end of the thin folder he found another note form Tenzou and blinked. This was the complete file which had been recovered from the archives. But that couldn't be! No one had a file like this, if there was something to hide the file would have been classified but he found no entries to confirm his suspicions.

Putting the file down Kakashi frowned, how could Umino exist in the village with such a file? Well seemed like he had something to do after all, he needed to uncover the mystery that was Umino Iruka.

It surprised Kakashi somewhat that he didn't feel more antagonistic towards the chuunin, who was responsible for his near death experience and current inability to participate in the war. Surprisingly he felt only intrigued by the other man. And he knew why. He wanted to know more about the man who had confronted him at the chuunin exam, who had fought with him on what had to be near equal level and most importantly who had decided to spare his live.

_Being injured was annoying, the only thing he could do was lie in his bed and read the books that Sakura had brought him. He got no visitors either, aside from the nurses who cared for him and Sakura. Kami he was bored. Stretching his senses, he checked on his chakra levels and found them to be acceptable. Might as well spend the time doing something useful and find out how the sensei had vanished after the fight. _

_It was a bit difficult with only one hand free, but Kakashi was nothing if not adaptable. With calm measured movements he summoned Pakkun. The small pug landed on his stomach, making him hiss as his injuries made their displeasure known. Carefully he pushed his summon off him. The small dog growled slightly before. _

"_Yo boss, nearly thought you weren't going to call us anymore."_

"_You should have more faith in me."_

_The flat look that the pug offered made Kakashi frown and he swatted Pakkun lightly. The nimble ninken evaded the move easily before making himself home near Kakashi's hip. Glaring balefully at his master he heard the dog mutter something unflattering before he settled down obviously about to go back to sleep. Now that wasn't what he had in mind when he had called Pakkun. _

"_I didn't call you, so that he could sleep here."_

_Opening one eye the pug offered him another glare before sitting up again. The whole body language clearly conveying aggravation. How Pakkun as a dog was capable to convey his thoughts and emotions this clearly was beyond Kakashi's understanding. _

"_Then what did you call me for?"_

"_I want to know what happened after I fell unconscious."_

_Another aggravated glare before the pug spoke again. _

"_That's what you're interrupting my nap for? Easy you were out like a light, so we came to save your useless self. Unfortunately you played tag for too long. Chakra ran out. Bull, Shiba and Uhei vanished first, the rest followed until it was up to me to save you."_

"_Umino had vanished beforehand?"_

"_Nope, sensei stood back and watched before he pulsed his chakra in a series of brief signals. I think I remember them from one of your missions. ANBU shorthand. After the others vanished he created a bushin from water and had the clone drag you to the shore. Then my chakra ran out and I was back home."_

"_Are you saying that he saved me?"_

"_No, I made the whole story up for entertainment purposes! What do you think?"_

_With an angry huff the pug vanished, leaving a puzzled Kakashi behind. The jounin didn't know what to make of Pakkun's story. Of course, his summon had no reason to lie, which meant that Umino had saved him, at least from drowning. But why? Why would a renegade save a ninja of the opposing force. _

Kakashi didn't know why he expected to find the answer inside the file but he had hoped for some clues. The file was incomplete, which meant that someone had prior to the civil war either taken the pages or they had never been added in the first place. The first option was more likely because Umino himself had a high clearance and could simply have stolen them, the second more unlikely but it would fit with the interest Danzo had shown. If the second option was true it meant that Sandaime had something to do with the whole affair. Yet what secret could Umino hide, that Sarutobi would interfere?

With a short motion he summoned Pakkun. The action only earned him a suffering sigh before the dog made himself home on Kakashi's bed. Quite apparently not in the mood to entertain him, but that was unnecessary anyway. He just wanted someone he could trust around. Content for the time being he thumped through the file once more until he found the page with the statistics and stopped. Frowning in confusion he reread the stats again. They didn't change.

How odd, for a chuunin Umino had a suspiciously high number of A-rank missions under his belt. Twelve to be precise and the last one had ended... one day before the invasion of Oto. Could the whole thing be connected? He would need the report to be certain if one existed and that seemed unlikely. Most A- and S-rank mission only required an oral report to the Hokage, who wrote the most important facts down before sealing them in the room behind his office.

Problem the old Hokage Tower had collapsed, the reason why they had assumed Umino Iruka to be dead in the first place. He had been inside during the collapse. They had been wrong and he would be damned he didn't find out what was behind all this. Closing the folder he resolved to question Sakura later, but for now he needed sleep. His walking attempts ate almost all of his energy. Yes sleep sounded good and perhaps for once he wouldn't be tormented by Umino Iruka.

* * *

Umino Iruka was pissed off! Never a good sign, which was the reason Neji was currently spending his time sitting at his former team-mate's bedside. The clam hand enclosed in his, he spoke of his days, the fights, their victories and the losses. He rarely came to visit, normally spending his time training. But not when Iruka was angry and seeking an outlet in their training hall.

Returning his attention to his team-mate, he allowed the barest of smiles to reach his face. Asleep Lee looked peaceful, his true nature concealed behind closed eyelids and steady breathing. Neji didn't like it, it wasn't supposed to be this way. His glance flitted over the pale face and the by now long hair. Releasing the hand took the tie from his own hair and braided his partner's hair before using the tie. There done.

"Tenten misses you, she says it's not the same when it's so quiet during training. Sensei's quieter too, he blames himself for what happened to you. He's wrong but only you can tell him that. So wake up, otherwise you'll let fate win."

_And you'll never defeat me!_

Of course, nothing happened. Lee continued to sleep like Neji hadn't even spoken. With a sigh he stood and left the hospital as quietly as he had come. A shadow not seen by those who didn't look closely. Stalking through the darkness he stopped at the open doors of the training hall, Iruka had apparently found a willing victim to spar with. The woman, called _steel_, was currently being herded to the edge of the mat by kicks and punches. She put up an admirable defense, despite being continuously worn down.

It made him wonder what had gotten the sensei so riled up. Ever since the beginnings of the war Iruka-sensei had been like a rock, holding them all together. Neji didn't know what he would have done without him. Seeing him so agitated, it made him wary.

They had witnessed the assassination of the new Hokage, Iruka hadn't even twitched. Iruka himself had set off the explosives that took the complete Tower out with nothing but a satisfied smile at the knowledge that Danzo had lost access to many of Konoha's secrets. Being elected the leader of the dozens of ninja, who had rejected the new government, a promise to do his best and that was all.

But since his return from the espionage mission a few months ago, the normally placid teacher was on edge and no one knew why. Iruka wouldn't talk about it and considering their situation their was rarely time for talk anyway. Too many different duties, they all had to fulfill and little free time. Though Neji supposed it helped keeping the memories at bay and exhausted sleep was better than no sleep at all. But how long could they all hold up like they had done so far? His eyes missed nothing and he could see the faint lines of weariness in his friends' faces, the premature wrinkles marking the older ninja, graying strands streaking through dark hair.

Not long and they would all break, but beforehand, beforehand they needed to destroy Danzo's regime. It was the only thing they still lived for. His family was dead save his younger cousin and he would never forget the image of Hanabi lying bleeding on the frame of her old sandbox. His relatives all torn to pieces or being executed.

He could freely admit, that without Lee to keep him going he would have gladly followed them into the realms of peace. But his team-mate wouldn't have any of it and had kept pushing him forward until he had started to fight again. He owed Lee his life and if only for that he would continue to keep living and protect the people who had become family.

"Neji, want to join us?"

Hearing no anger in the voice anymore Neji met Iruka's gaze and nodded his acceptance. Shedding his shoes he joined them on the mat. Training could after all never be wrong.

* * *

Iruka sighed as the water soothed the aches of the day away. The spar had done him good, he hadn't been this relaxed in a long time. With his duties and missions piling up, he barely had time anymore to keep up with his training regime and that could be fatal on a mission. Just like the one months ago, when he had encountered the ANBU with the tora mask, or Hatake Kakashi. The fight had been unexpected, later analysis had determined that the jounin had been late for his round and thus had encountered him during his mission.

And he still didn't understand why he had let him live.

It stayed on his mind every single moment of the day, whether he was discussing a espionage mission or writing coded messages to be send to Suna in hopes for an alliance. Today had been especially bad, their food supply from Otafuku Gai had been compromised, forcing their group to ration their supplies again. While it wasn't the first time and wouldn't probably the last time either, it was always trouble to deny young children food. After accepting another wave of refugees earlier this week it was especially troubling. They had yet to stock their storage to balance the addition of more people out.

They would just have to endure.

Switching the water off, he grabbed his towel and quickly dried himself. How he longed for a nice warm shower that lasted longer than five minutes. A nice dream but with so many people the water had to be rationed as well, long showers were out. Slipping into his clothes he checked his small desk once more to see if anything urgent had come up, for once it hadn't.

Smiling somewhat self-deprecatingly, he chuckled silently. If anybody would have told them two years ago that he would lead a group of shinobi into war he would have the person committed, but now? Now he effectively filled the position of a Kage, he organized missions, accepted the reports and planned the day to day operations, though not alone. Kyuubi knew he would have committed sepuku weeks into the jobs without help. It made him glad that Ibiki had sided with them during the conflict in the Hokage Tower.

Walking through the silent corridors, he quietly entered the infirmary. Before going out he would have to make one more stop.

The infirmary was as quiet as a tomb save for the breathing of the patients. Rows with cots filled the room alongside the wall with a surgery table in the opposite corner. It was nothing like the hospital in Konoha and yet they had saved lives here.

His target was the last bed to the left. Ignoring the dozens of seals that were plastered all over the cot, walls and surroundings he sat on the chair next to the cot he carefully carded his fingers through the blond hair. Naruto looked content as if he was dreaming of a bowl of ramen. Looking at him Iruka didn't want to believe that the promising young ninja was lost to them forever and as much as he didn't want to believe their medic, she was most likely right.

Tsunade was without doubt one of the best and most knowledgeable medic-nins in the world and she said that Naruto was gone, then he was probably gone. At least the part that had been Naruto, the Kyuubi however that beast was still inside the body and refused to die. The very reason why the body was lying here, in an enforced coma. They couldn't risk the Kyuubi taking possession of Naruto's body and wreaking havoc on Konoha, despite how much they despised Danzo. Yet they also couldn't kill the Yondaime's legacy, the Kyuubi's chakra healed every wound they inflicted in a matter of seconds and they had tried. With the seal broken all they could do was keep the Kyuubi confined and hope to one day find Jiraiya, so that he could perhaps fix the seal. The only other chance would either be Sasuke or Itachi, but for obvious reasons both weren't even considered.

They would have to wait and be patient.

"Hey Naruto, I'm sorry that I haven't been around much during the last months, but it's been quite hectic. I managed to establish contact with Gaara, he's Kazekage now. You'd be proud to see how much he has changed since he met you. If we can deliver him enough evidence of an upcoming invasion of Suna by Danzo, he might consider an alliance with us. Then we might be able to reclaim our village. And Teuchi and Ayame could come back to their little restaurant. They say _'hello'_ by the way. I met them in Wave country a few weeks ago. I couldn't tell them what happened to you. I just couldn't. However I saw the bridge they named after you and met Inari. He's nothing like you described him to me, so I guess he changed too since you met him."

Feeling tears running down his face, he didn't bother wiping them off. It had been months since he had allowed himself to cry, nowadays he needed to be strong for the people and ninja who depended on him. Sharing his fears and weakness was impossible, he couldn't endanger the fragile peace they had established amongst shinobi and civilians alike.

"You've touched people Naruto and changed them for the better. I wish you'd wake up to see for yourself."

A firm hand settled on his shoulder, but Iruka had long since gotten used to the touch of this woman. Acknowledging her, he stood and followed her in the small storage that served as her office. Tsunade looked weary, old and weary. Without her genjutsu, which hadn't been active since the assassination attempt on her, she truly looked her age. There was never chakra to spare for foolish things as looks. Being vain had no place in a war and the medic-nin knew it.

On a small cot next to the desk laid Shizune, taking a her much needed rest before she would take over for her teacher and watch over the patients. The last mission while successful had been a near thing and many of them had been injured. Tsunade had nearly killed herself to save Fuumi Yutaka and collapsed in exhaustion moments after stabilizing the chuunin.

Iruka had been glad that both had survived, he couldn't loose anyone. Tsunade and Shizune were their best medic and while they taught their skills to others when there was time, few of them stayed in their base for days to come. Fuumi had been his colleague in the academy before she had changed occupations. Before the invasion she had been one of the administrators in the TI department. Her knowledge had been invaluable to them as would have been her loss.

"You are starting to become like Hatake, speaking with those who cannot answer anymore. Does it actually help, only getting the answers you want?"

He had no idea how to answer her question, to be honest he was wary of the slug princess. They had never gotten along, which had become evident when he had resigned from his post as the Hokage's assistant upon her succession. Back then the younger looking woman had taken one look at him and simple nodded her understanding, throwing him for a loop.

"I don't need an answer, I merely want someone to listen without opinion or reaction."

"Just like Hatake. You'll be going out?"

Another nod.

"I have arranged a meeting with Anko. She mentioned that she might be able to get her hands on some of Danzo's plans concerning Suna."

"Mitarashi, Orochimaru's student? Does Danzo trust her?"

"He trusts that she wants to save her own neck. No need for him to know that she offered her life to someone else years ago."

Her reaction was faster than her appearance made him believe, yet he remained motionless. Waiting for her to make her judgment. Her fingers loosened around his shirt, hiding the ugly mark from the world once more.

"It's different from Mitarashi's."

"Orochimaru designed different ones, though mine's nothing more than an ugly tattoo now."

"And how did you manage that?"

Her voice was calm and held more fascination that anger. Orochimaru's curse seals were something of a medical miracle and Tsunade had spent years on trying to understand their workings and functions. So far she hadn't managed to either replicate the effects nor reverse them.

"I beat Orochimaru-s.. in the only area, where you didn't need any experience... only determination."

Letting his words fade Iruka left the infirmary quickly before the slug princess had time to recover from her shock. She tended to make rash decisions then and Iruka could do without a broken bone.

Quickly he navigated through the maze of underground tunnels before he came to one of the official openings. As insane as his former sensei had been, his genius when designing underground bases was second to none. The long twisted paths rigged with lethal traps were the ideal hiding place and even better, he had personally made sure that Danzo would never find them the easy way. Of course the complex genjutsu, once invented by Sandaime took a hefty chunk out of their chakra reserves, but divided among the strongest of them the load was easier to carry. The anchoring seals also helped.

Taking a deep breath he studied the night sky with something akin to awe. During the first months hidden in the darkness of the underground laboratory he had learned just what he had always taken for granted. Now he worshiped the sun and the moon goddesses in his own way, having learned to savor their rays.

Drawing a scroll from his jacket he summoned a small snake. The animal slid over his bare feet while he wrote a code for Anko on a piece of paper. Handing it to the snake he watched at he swallowed it before slithering into the woods directly into Anko's direction. Now he would have to wait for her answer, though not so close to the entrance to their lair.

Walking a few steps he reached the river that flowed through Konoha before uniting with the sea around Wave country. Concentrating his chakra he touched the surface and vanished only to reappear on the lake where he had fought Hatake months ago. Sitting on the surface he gazed at the stars, content for the moment.

Of course someone had to disturb his brief rest, his tongue slipped between his lips and he tasted the air before sighing. He could taste the blood and he knew whom it belonged to. A brief amount of chakra and he had drawn his blade from the tattoo on his exposed elbow. Turning around Iruka met the surprised gaze of Hatake Kakashi.

* * *

He hadn't expected to see the sensei again, especially not on the very lake where he had nearly died, but there he was. Sitting on the surface and gazing at the stars. Instincts told him to send the signal to call his remaining ANBU but he didn't. Instead he watched as the chuunin relaxed, obviously deep in thought and not expecting to be found. The lake was quite a bit in the forest and not many knew about it. He could understand why the sensei had chosen it to rest here.

Wind rustled around him.

Then Umino stiffened, seconds later he turned around blade in hand. Alright, fighting was the last thing Kakashi wanted at the moment. Despite over six months of recovery, he was nowhere near his old level and that meant that he would loose.

"I don't want to fight you sensei?"

He honestly hadn't expected Umino to listen to him, but the chuunin did. His tongue poked between his lips and vanished again before he nodded. Sitting back down he continued to look at him or Kakashi thought that he did, his gaze was still resting on the mouth and for a brief second and irrational urge to taste them overcame him. Shaking his head he sat down himself, though on the shore and not the lake. Lifting his headband a bit, he noticed with astonishment that Umino didn't expend any chakra by sitting on the lake. A genkai kekkai perhaps?

"What do you want Hatake?"

Tearing his gaze away, he covered the sharingan again before his intentions were misunderstood. Meeting the dark gaze he wondered briefly, if what he was planning was insane but decided that he had crossed that particular line a long time ago.

"Why did you save my life? Pakkun said, you pulled me to the shore."

"Naruto would have never forgiven me. Though I imagine his reaction wouldn't be pretty, if he knew that you support his murderer."

"_I don't!"_

Hearing the thin hiss, Iruka blinked before his face adopted a sardonic expression. If that was the game Hatake wanted to play then so be it. He certainly didn't have a problem with it.

"So you didn't swear an alliance to Danzo, aren't serving him as an ANBU and aren't fighting for his side?"

"I serve the civilians of Konoha, no one else! I promised Yondaime that I would always protect his village!"

"Are you blind! Yondaime's village hasn't existed for a long time and won't if shinobi like you continue to serve Danzo and carry out his orders."

Enraged Iruka raised the blade again, though he didn't attack. Yet his anger was visible in every tiny motion his body made. Kakashi kept his eyes on the sensei's hands, watching for the seals that had nearly destroyed his leg.

"Then show me, why it's still worth to fight like you do sensei! _Show me!_"

Iruka was faster than Kakashi had expected. Suddenly the chuunin stood in front of him, hand raised. Attempting to block the oncoming he was surprised as his hand was grasped instead of cut off.

Fingers pulled at the fabric of his mask and before he knew it, the chuunin had unmasked him. Lips pressed against his own and he did nothing, couldn't even begin to react. He had never thought of the sensei like that, hadn't he. As rarely as they saw each other, but he could admit to having thought about him, about their fights and their explosive meetings. Before he knew it, Iruka pulled away. Words were whispered against his lips and his eye widened.

_Naruto's alive!_

Staring at the man in front of him watched as he calmly stepped back, face betraying nothing. Yet he could hear the heart thumping against Iruka's chest, nervous. Before the hand could fall completely away, he grasped it. Electricity cursing through his frame. He hadn't failed, there was still meaning.

"What can I do?"

"Believe in him, like I do."

Leaning against the other he gazed at the stars. Their fingers were still intertwined and he couldn't even begin to understand what had shifted during the last minutes. Had he changed sides, was he about to betray Danzo or had he signed his own death warrant by accepting the kiss. Kakashi didn't know but in this very moment he could hope.

He hadn't done that in a long time.

_fin_


End file.
